Home of the Week: Davidsonville villa of Gale and Michael Scavone

Editor’s note: The author of this article, Wendi Winters, died in the June 28 attack at The Capital office. Writing Home of the Week was one of her favorite assignments. We run it today in her honor.

Gale Scavone still cannot believe her and her husband Michael Scavone’s good fortune.

“Here we are, surrounded by woodlands.It’s all peaceful and quiet. Yet, downtown Annapolis is just a few minutes away,” she said. “We’ve got the best of both worlds.”

The two have been married over 37 years. About the same time they wed, they co-founded Appliance Doctor Inc., an appliance and HVAC business that did well enough to finance their dreams.

The first few years after saying “I do,” the couple lived in a house on Brewer Avenue in Annapolis, just off West Street. In 1989, they used some cash they’d saved to purchase three acres of land in Davidsonville. They continued saving, and five years later, had enough money to start designing their villa. heir dream house.

The couple sketched their dreams and rendered them in stucco, concrete, and lush green landscaping. They named their oasis “Camp Lots of Fun.”

“Life would be so boring if everyone was plain vanilla,” Gale Scavone said. “We’re free spirits and have open minds. We love to have fun and travel.”

In nearly every country or out-of-state town the Scavones visit for the first time, they buy art – a painting, poster or sculpture. It’s now scattered throughout their 5,000-square foot home whose golden glow evokes a European villa.

The house has one main floor with four bedrooms and two offices; plus a lower level that serves as the couple’s exercise space, a TV viewing area that includes a popcorn popper and a vintage slot machine, and Michael’s man cave.

Gale Scavone's Home of the Week in Davidsonville.

(Joshua McKerrow)

Michael Scavone’s father, Mike Scavone, lives in one wing of the house. The WWII veteran, former Marine and former Baltimore City police officer, now 94, has some police badges on display in the dining room..

Gale Scavone said the couple knew “this is our last house,” and planned accordingly. Among their must haves: large showers with heated seats.

The showers in the home’s four bathrooms average about 7 feet wide and 3.5 feet deep

Their architect was Fred Fishback,the principal architect on the mid-1990s redesign of the Annapolis Yacht Club building, the waterfront landmark nearly destroyed by fire in 2015.

Lush swath of greenery

A private gravel drive leads to a home, which is surrounded by a swath of greenery.

Out front, a former ship’s mast serves as a flagpole, where the Scavenos have proudly raised both the U.S. and Marine Corps flag.

The Scavenos created quiet, contemplative spots by placing bench in clearings among stands of trees. A large herb garden runs along one side of the house.

In the rear, is a large, terraced party patio and deck area rimmed by woodlands.There’s an outdoor kitchen — with the appliances and grills set into stacked stone walls — several dining and dancing areas and a waterfall. The party zone includes a fire pit, croquet court and hot tub. In Home Stone did the granite and stacked stone work on the patio and deck.

Animal statues pepperthe property to complement the natural wildlife. A pair of stone foxes in colonial garb keeps an eye on one garden, while a metal pink flamingo pretends to peck in another. In the shadow of the woods, wooden ducks and geese peer out.

“Sundown is the best time,” Scavone said. “The birds are singing and there’s a concert of frogs.”

Artful, art-filled villa

Beside a handsome fountain of three stone urns, is a cast bronze plaque attached near the front door that reads: “House of Scavone: Established 1995.”

Artist Kathy Fox created a “French wash” effect Gale Scavone wanted on the living room wall, and a floral frieze in the shower of the master bathroom.

A few steps down the front hallway is a riveting sculpture:. A nude figure molded from wire mesh that appears to float in mid-air. Her shadow is projected into a diamond-shape frame behind her, creating the illusion of a separate painting. The sculpture, “Juliette,” by Georgetown artist John Winger, was purchased during one Mardi Gras trip to New Orleans.

Eastport artist Carol Tessier painted a Victorian fairytale scene, including trompe l’oeil, down the hallway to the master suite.

The light fixtures in the hallway bring to mind a wisteria forest, and a painted cobweb sparkled with dewdrops shimmers above another doorway.

In the kitchen, the Scavones have outdone themselves.

A macaw sculpture by Debra Banker Doyle, is suspended over the gleaming red granite countertops, which are mitered to match the moulding throughout the house..

The backsplash behind the stove is a custom work of art made by an artist the Scanvenos met and commissioned while stranded during a snowstorm in New Orleans in 1995. The painted scene features Maryland crabs, corn on the cob, bunches of carrots, vegetables and grapes. Above the backsplash is a flying fish – a trout caught by Michael and preserved.

During a 1996 snowstorm, Michael Scavone’s inner artist manifested itself. Using a combination of paint colors and a touch of gold leaf, he painted the steps leading to the lower level to resemble black marble veined with white and gold. And, the staircase leads to an area that is a fun, relaxing spot for the couple and their guests.

What's it take to be a featured Home of the Week?

Would you like to see your house, townhome, condo, apartment, cottage or cabin cruiser featured as The Capital's Home of the Week? To nominate your home, send Wendi Winters an email with your contact information and details about your residence to wwinters@capgaznews.com.